PUBLIC OPINION

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14613, 14 March 1921, Page 6

PUBLIC OPINION

Ai expressed by correspondents, whose tellers are welcome, i>ui tor whose views we ha\e no iespou*tioiliti. FARMERS AND THE UNION. i,To the Editor.) f Dear Sir. —I nutice through your • paper during the past two months and 1 aiso at Hie meeting of llie Farmers' Uu- ' ion at Utorohanga, that a movement is ; oh foot for the Farmers' Union. • Fanners' Auctioneering Company, 1 co-operative dairy companies, and 1 freezing companies to unite aim > work together to help the Far- ' mors' Union financially and other--1 wise, and also to try and organise the • farmers by compulsion. I admit thai > the fanners want organising badly. At ; the same time the farnlers are not go--1 ing to he forced into any union, and 1 have money deducted from their i Cheques to help finance the Farmers' Union; unless they have a written ■ authority from the farmers. The farm--1 ers have stood by the Farmers' Union in past years, and, seeing we did not get value for our money, we pullco out: as the management of the Farm ers' Union were more interested in the ; Fanners' Union Trading Company anil • Woollen Mills, simply playing into the • h;.nds of the big men of the country. • What about the high-priced land and ' cost of production, and our future pro- ■ duetion'.' That is what the farmers • want to know, not playing with the • shadow, and leaving the substance. ■ What right have our co-operative dairy ■ companies and auctioneering llrms to - join hands with the Farmers' Union, i without first of all placing the matter - before their shareholders. One would ihink that the farmers were a lot of • fools, not capable of looking after their t own affairs. lam sure that the farm- ' ers are not going to be run by the big . men of this country. Trusts seem to be the order of the day. That is where I our danger lies. I received a pamphlet , some lime ago from the Dairy Farmers' Union, and in it was stated that they 1 were organising to assist our co- | operative dairy companies and look \ after the interests of the dairy farmer. Surely this movement is worthy of 1 consideration, and by reports to hand they are making great progress (good luck to (hem). In conclusion, sir. I ' admit that the farmers must be organ. | ised, but cm sound lines. The farmers have born penalised in the past by all ' sections of the community: now he is cautious, and I am sure no money will be deducted from my cheque to help 1 finance the above scheme unless by '■ my written authority.—l am, etc., WIDE AWAKE PARMER.